Apparatus and method for printing and recording on the same copy sheet



June 2, 1970 RlTZERFELD 3,515,061

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET Filed Feb. 23, 1967 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1b

June 2, 1970 e. RITZERFELD 3,515,061

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET l2 Sheets-Sheet :1

Filed Feb. 23, 1967 High Fig. 20

June 2, 1970 G. RITZERFELD 3,515,061

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET Filed Feb. 23, 1967 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 2, 1970 a. RITZERFELD 3,515,061

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET Filed Feb. 23, 1967 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 2, 1970 s. RITZERFELD 3,515,061

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET Filed Feb. 23, 1967 12 Sheets-$heet b RITZERFELD OD FOR PRINTING AND RECORD 3,515,061 ING June 2, 1970 G.

APPARATUS AND METH ON THE SAME COPY SHEET l2 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 23, 1967 June 2, 1970 e. RITZERFELD 3,515,06k

' APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET Filed Feb. 25, 19s? 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 June 2, 1970 G- RITZERFELD 3,515,061

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING on THE SAME COPY SHEET Filed Feb. 23, 1967 12 Sheets-Sheet June 2, 1970 G. RITZERFELD I 3,515,061

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET Filed Feb. 23, 1967 l2 Sheets-sheet u 3,515,061 ING June 2, 1970 G. RITZERFELD APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORD ON THE SAME COPY SHEET 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Feb. 23, 1967 G. RI

June 2, 1970 TZERFELD APPARATUS AND METH FOR PRINTING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET Filed Feb. 23, 1967 AND RECORDING l2 Sheets-Sheet 11 June 2, 1970 G. RITIZERFELD 3,515,061

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET Filed Feb. 23, 1967 l2 Sheets-Sheet 13 Fig. 72

United States Patent 3,515,061 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON THE SAME COPY SHEET Gerhard Ritzerfeld, 21 Franzensbader Str., Berlin 33, Germany Filed Feb. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 621,723 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 24, 1966,

R 42,66 Int. Cl. B411 11/00; B41] 47/46 US. Cl. 10191 34 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS My copending applications Ser. Nos. 583,506 and 584,048 disclose an arrangement related to and improved by the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus for punching cards to represent information contained in a text.

In apparatus according to the prior art, cards or other copy sheets can be imprinted with selected text sections of a printing form, such as the head sections and selected lines. Printed information regarding specific orders, for example, had to be visually read on the card, and manually punched into the same. The reading of the information, and the punching of the card by the operator, leaves a margin for error so that another person is required for checking the punched card. This operation is not only time-consuming, but also expensive since, in addition to the operator of the duplicator or other printing machine, personnel for punching and checking of the card is required.

In my copending application Ser. No. 584,048 entitled Method and Apparatus for Printing and Recording on a Card, a card is imprinted and punched with the same information, but the operation cannot be carried out under the control of master cards having crossing lines and columns of recording areas into which holes may be punched, for example.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for automatically printing and recording the same information on a copy sheet, such as a card.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for producing a printed and punched card in a particularly economical manner.

Another object of the invention is to automatically provide printed cards during or after the printing operation with recordings, such as punched holes which partly or completely correspond to the printed information.

With these objects in view, one method of the invention comprises making a printing form having text sections; making recordings on a record carrier having a plurality of fields respectively correlated with the text sections, each field having crossing lines and columns of recording areas so that different positions of the recordice ings in said lines represent different values, and ditferent positions of the recordings in the columns represent different information regarding the values; printing text sections of the printing form on copy sheets; sensing recordings on the record carrier in the areas of the lines of each field correlated with a printed text section; and recording on the copy sheets the sensed information so that any one copy sheet has the same information printed and recorded thereon.

One embodiment of an apparatus of the invention comprises printing means, for example a selective duplicator, for printing text sections of a printing form on copy sheets; carrier means, for example a rotary carrier drum, for supporting at least one record carrier, such as a punched master card, which has a plurality of fields, respectively correlated with the text sections, and wherein each field has crossing lines and columns of areas with recordings whose positions in the lines represent different values and whoes positions in the columns represent information related to the values; one group of sensing means shiftable for sensing said fields, or a plurality of groups of sensing means selectively operable for sensing selected fields, the sensing means of a group being disposed and operable for sensing in respectively correlated lines of the respective sensed field, recordings in the areas of the respective lines; control means connecting the printing means with the sensing means and controlling the latter so that only fields correlated with printed text sections are sensed; and recording means, preferably a punching device, controlled by the operative group of sensing means to make on a copy sheet imprinted with at least one text section by the printing means, recordings representing the same information as the printed text section.

In accordance with the invention, all or a part of the data to be printed are recorded, for example punched, on a record carrier, preferably a master card which has the same width, but a different length than standard punched cards so that it may be bent into accordion pleats for handling.

The master card has a plurality of fields respectively correlated with text sections of the printing form, and each field has a plurality of lines for registering data in the form of punched recordings.

The printing form is mounted on the drum of a duplicating machine, and the master card is sensed by a mechanical, electrical, optical or magnetic sensing device disposed in the duplicating machine or cooperating with the carrier of the master card. The sensing motion takes place along the master card in the direction of the values of the recorded data by sensing means correlated with lines of each field of the master card. Corresponding to the data contained in lines of the printing form, the sensing means form electrically, mechanically or electromechanically con nected groups, for sensing the field of the master card correlated with a printed text section. The sensed information is supplied to punching means which always punch the same portion of the copy sheet, irrespective which field was sensed.

In accordance with the invention, a fixed group of sensing means is provided which is associated with the head section of the printing form, while fields of the master card related to different lines or text sections of the printing form are selectively sensed to control the punching device of the copy sheet.

In accordance with a modification of the method of the invention, two cards of standard length are attached to each other with the fields and lines of the fields transversely aligned so that the successively operative groups of sensing means can be used for sensing the lines of transversely aligned fields.

The master card may be attached to the printing form, and secured with the same to the drum of a duplicating machine so that during rotation of the drum, the copy sheet is imprinted and punched. The different groups of positions sensed by different groups of operative sensing means, are transferred to unchanging positions of the punching device which punches the copy sheet.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the master card is mounted on a rotary carrier cylinder cooperating with groups of sensing means, and the rotary motion of the carrier cylinder is in synchronism with the entry of the values into the punching device so that the carrier cylinder and the master card assume the same position before each selection of a text section.

An additional master card having varying information may be attached to the carrier cylinder in addition to the main master-card which has the recordings corresponding to the text sections. The additional master cards is sensed simultaneously with the master card, and its information transferred to the punching device.

In order to gain more time for the transport of the printed copy sheet or card to the punching device which is controlled by the punched master card, the selective sensing of recorded information corresponding partly or completely to the text information of the printing form may be delayed one or several operations of the duplicator in relation to the printing operation, and the sensing and transfer of the values in the master cards to the punching device is only carried out when the imprinted card is directly before, or already in the punching device. The sequence of printed and punched cards is, of course, maintained.

In one embodiment of the invention, the sensing device has a number of sensing means corresponding to the maximum number of positions or lines of the master card, and

depending on the movements of the means controlling the successive printing of text sections, groups, of the sensing means are successively electrically actuated.

In a modified embodiment of the invention, a sensing device which is shitable to different sensing positions or sensing different fields of the master card is provided and controlled in accordance with a selection of text sections of the printing form in the duplicating machine.

In another embodiment of the invention, the duplicating drum is used partly as carrier for the master card, and sensing means cooperate with the duplicating drum and are successivelyshifted in the direction of the axis of the duplicating drum.

' The rotary carrier cylinder of the master card, or the duplicating drum, may be connected with a rotary contact means which renders the sensing means operative only during passage of a predetermined segment of the periphery of the carrier cylinder corresponding to the height of the field of the master card. i The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects. and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGQl includes FIG. 1a illustrating a master card, and FIGS. 1b and 1b which are front and side views of a modified master card;

FIG. 2 includes FIG. 20 and FIG 20 which are front and side views of a master card combined with a printing form, FIG. 20" which illustrates a portion of FIG. 20 on a larger scale, FIG. 2d and FIG. 2a" which are front and side views of another master card, and FIGS. 22 and 22 which are front and side view of an accordion pleated card of which the master car of FIG. 2d and FIG. 2d is made;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective View illustrating an arrangement for carrying out the method of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view, partially in section, illustrating a duplicating machine and sensing means cooperating with a record carrier attached to the printing form in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 4 illustrating operating means for sensing means;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front view illustrating a mechanism for operating sensing means as viewed in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary schematic side view, partially in section, illustrating the mounting of a master card on a carrier in accordance with another embodiment of the invention including the mechanism of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is partly a schematic view, and partly a circuit diagram illustrating the electric control of the sensing means for reading out a master card;

FIG. 9 is partly a schematic view, and partly an electric diagram illustrating a modified electric circuit for controlling the sensing means of the master card;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side view, partially in section, illustrating a duplicator which can be combined with the carrier arrangement of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a side view, partially in section, illustrating the modified duplicator which can be used with a carrier of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side View, partially in section, illustrating an arrangement for controlling the punches of a punching device for the copy sheet in synchronism with the position of the master card and in accordance with the information contained in the sensed master card.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 3, a printing form, such as a duplicating master 2, is made on a typewriter 18 which is connected by a cable 19 to a recording punch 20 which punches holes into a master card blank 7 representing the same information as is contained in the text of the printing form 2. Instead of punch 20, other recording means may be used to produce on the master cards recordings which can be optically or magnetically read out.

A printing drum 10, which may be part of a duplicating machine, supports the finished printing form 2 which may have a head section and a plurality of text sections each text section consisting of one or several lines. A counterpressure roller cooperates with printing drum 10 so that a copy sheet blank 27 supplied to the printing drum 10, is imprinted with the entire text, or with selected text sections of the printing form. The imprinted copy sheet, which may be a card of conventional dimensions, is then transported to a punching device 26. The master card 6 is shown to consist of two portions of master card 7 laterally secured to each other, as will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 1b and FIG. 2d. An additional punched master card 22 is also secured to carrier 21.

Transmission means 23 connect printing drum 10 with carrier 21 for rotation in timed relation, and while a belt and pulley transmission is shown, electrical or other mechanical transmission means may be provided. A sensing device 24 including a plurality of sensing means cooperates with the master card 6 and 22 to read out the punched information, and to supply the same through a cable 25 to the punching device 26 which is actuated to punch the read out information into the copy sheet or card 27 which has already been imprinted with a legible text. The reading out of the master cards by sensing means 24 takes place either during a simultaneous printing revolution of printing drum 10, or one or several revolutions later than the corresponding printing revolution of the printing drum 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a master card 1 shown in FIG. 1a has the standard transverse width of a punch card, but is longer than a standard punch card. The master card of FIG. la has six fields respectively associated with a head section and with the first five lines of the printing form 2. The information contained in the head section of the printing form 2 is recorded by punched holes in the first field of master card 1, and the information contained in the first text section or line of the printing form, is recorded in the second field of the master card.

Each field has ten longitudinal columns associated with the ten digits, as indicated at 5, and twenty transverse lines indicated at 4 by numerals 1 to 20. The next following field associated with the first line of the printing form has lines and columns arranged in the same manner, the lines being numbered 21 to 40 so that on the entire master card 1, 120 lines are provided. A punched hole in any one of the digital columns represents a numerical value, while the line positions 4 determine the sequence and relation between the values.

The master card 6 shown in FIGS. lb and lb consists of two cards 7 and 8 of the type shown in FIG. 1a connected along adjacent longitudinal edges by an adhesive strip 9. While cards 7 and 8 can be successively punched in punch 20 which is adapted for cards of a standard width, master card 6 has double width after'the two cards 7 and 8 are connected. The master card 6 permits the use of a printing form having eleven text sections in addition to the head section. The fields and lines of the two cards 7 and 8 are transversely aligned, and can be sensed in line direction by twenty sensing means forming a group for reading out one field of master card 1, or two transversely aligned fields of master card 6. FIG. 3 shows how punch 20 which is of limited width, punches the card 7, whereupon the card 8 is punched in the same position. When cards 7 and 8 are combined to a double master card 6, it can be mounted on the cylindrical carrier 21 and sensed by the sensing device 24 during rotation of carrier 21.

While FIG. 3 shows a printing drum 10 with the printing form synchronized with a carrier 21 for the master card 6, it is possible to attach a master card 1, by an adhesive strip 9 to a printing form 2, as shown in FIGS. 20, 2c, and 20. This is advantageous if the text of the printing form has only a small number of lines. As shown in FIG. 4 combined printing form 2 and master card 1 are mounted on the printing drum 10, and first the printing form 2 is used to imprint a copy sheet 27 supplied on table 90 which is then supplied to a punching device, not shown, corresponding to punching device 26 in FIG. 3 and connected :by a cable with sensing means 28, 60, 50, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The punching device is operated to punch the imprinted copy sheet under the control of sensing means 28, 60, 50, cooperating with the printing drum 10 and the master card I mounted thereon so that the copy sheet, which may be a card, is punched with the same information with which it was imprinted. Y

The card illustrated in FIGS. 2e and 2e and used in the ebodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, is very long and suited for a printing form having fifteen lines or text sections in addition to the head section. In order to handle a card of such length it is folded in accordion pleats, which are shown partly opened in FIGS. 2e and 2e so that card portions 11, 12, 13 and 14 are superimposed. Since the card has conventional width it can be run through the punch 20 so that all fields of the card portions 11 to 14 are punched in accordance with the text sections of printing form 2. Thereupon, the fold line between portions 12 and 13 is cut, and portions 13 and 14 forming a strip 17 and portions 11 and 12 forming a strip 16 are attached to each other by an adhesive strip 15, as shown in FIGS. 2d and 2d. In accordance with the invention, it is also possible to print master cards as shown in FIG. 1b and FIG. 2b and to punch the same in a special punching device, but the construction of composite master cards consisting of cards of standard width permits the use of a standard punch.

Referring again to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, which are mainly provided for the illustration of the means for operating the sensing device, a printing drum 10 forming part of a duplicating machine is mounted on a shaft 32 which is connected by a gear train 29, 30, 31 to a control shaft 33 to which a cam wheel 34 and a cam 54 are secured. A cam member 37 is secured by pins 35 and 36 to the cam wheel 34, and cooperates with a cam follower roller 71 on an angular cam follower 39 which is mounted for turning movement on a fixed pivot 38 and articulated to a link 40. During each revolution of control shaft 33, cam member 37 engages roller 71 and turns lever 39 in the direction of the arrow D so that the link 40 is raised in the direction of the arrow D to turn along angular shifting lever 42 about its stationary pivot 41, as shown in FIG. 6, so that the free end of shifting lever 42 engages a stud 43 of a shifting pawl 44 and turns the same about its pivot so that pawl 44 engages a tooth of a rack bar 45, while a locking pawl 46 is turned to release the rack bar. This operation of pawls 44 and 46 takes place against the action of springs 53 and 52. A spring 47 is connected with a body 48 on which a sensing brush holder 50 is tiltably mounted by means of a rod 49, see FIG. 5. When pawl 46 releases the rack bar, spring 47 moves body 48 in the direction of the arrow E together with rack 'bar 45 until the tooth 51 of shifting pawl 44 is engaged by a tooth of the rack bar. When cam follower lever 39 is released by cam member 37 during further revolution of control shaft 33, springs 52 and 53 return the pawls 44 and 46 to the initial positions so that shifting pawl 44 releases rack bar 45, while spring 47 pulls rack bar 45 until the next following tooth of the same abuts the return locking pawl 46. The return shifting pawl 44 acts by its stud 43 on lever 42 to return linkage 40, 39 to the normal position of rest.

Cam 54 on control shaft 33 cooperates with the cam follower roller 55 of a long lever 57 which is secured to a shaft 56 carrying another corresponding lever 58, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. An actuating shaft 59 is carried by actuating levers 57 and 58, and supports sensing brush holders 28, 60 and 50 so that the same are moved in radial direction toward the axis of shaft 32 on which printing drum 10 carrying printing form 2, with an attached master card 1, as shown in FIGS. 20 and 4, is mounted. Sensing brush holders 28, 60, 50 may also be operated by electromagnetic means under control of a switch operated by cam member 37. Sensing brush holders 28 and 60 are mounted by means of guide rods 222 and 223 on fixed guide bodies 62 and 63, while sensing brush holder 50 is mounted by means of guide rod 49 on the movable guide body 48. When the lug of cam 54 passes cam follower roller 55, spring 61 retracts actuating levers 57 and 58 with sensing brush holders 28, 60 and 50.

As explained above, guide body 48 is shifted stepwise under control of cam member 37 and moves with sensing brush holder 50 in axial direction of shaft 32 after each revolution of shaft 33. The movable guide body 48 has a threaded bore meshing with the thread of a spindle 64, which has a smooth cylindrical surface passing through bores in guide bodies 62 and 63. Spindle 64 is mounted in frame walls of the machine for turning movement, and is connected by an electromagnetic clutch 67 to a pair of gears 68 and 69, see FIG. 6, which are driven by drive means, not shown.

When the movable guide body 48 has been stepwise moved by spring 47 and pawls 44 and 46 to an end posi tion engaging the contact arm of a limit switch 66, a cir cuit which will be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 8, is closed and electromagnetic coupling 67 is energized so that spindle 64 is rotated and drives the movable guide body 48 back in the direction of the arrow G in FIG. 6 until the sensing brush holder 50 is again in its initial position in which guide body 48 engages and closes another limit switch 70, see FIGS. 6 and 8 which causes deenergizing of the electromagnetic coupling 67. During movement of rack bar in the direction of the arrow G, locking pawl 46 slides on the back of the teeth of rack bar 45.

As shown in FIG. 4, a master card 1, as described with reference to FIG. la is secured to a printing form 2 as described with reference to FIG. 20. A counterpressure roller, not shown in FIG. 4, and which may be operated as described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, cooperates with the printing form 2 to cause printing of selected lines or text sections of the printing form, while during passage of the master card 1 through the region of the sensing brush holders 28, and 50, the same are operated to move into sliding contact with master card 1 so that each sensing brush reads out the information punched in the respective associated line of the master card.

When a master card 6 of the type described with reference to FIGS. 1b and 2d is used, it is secured to the periphery of a cylindrical carrier 72 by a holding means 73, as shown in FIG. 7. Cylindrical carrier 72 corresponds to carrier 21 shown in FIG. 3. The periphery of carrier 72 is recessed along a circumferential portion 79 so that sensing brushes 76, 77, 78 do not engage or slide on the peripheral surface of carrier 72 which is not covered by the master card 6.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, guide shaft 49 which carries sensing brush holders 28, 60 and 50' is supported between two brackets 74 and 75 which are secured to lateral walls of the machine frame so that guide shaft 49 cannot be moved toward carrier 72.

Master card 6 is secured by holding means 73 in an initial position of carrier 72 controlled by a one revolution clutch which will be described with reference to FIG. 11.

Holding means 73 can be opened by a member secured to a shaft 81 mounted in carrier 72. Shaft 81 carries a cam follower 82 with the roller 83 which is biased by a spring 84 to hold releasing member 80 in the illustrated position. A releasing lever 86 is mounted on a pivot 85 fixed to the frame of the machine, and when releasing lever 86 is turned in the direction of the arrow H against the action of spring 87, releasing lever 86 engages roller 83 and turns arm 82 in counterclockwise direction so that releasing member 80 opens holding means 73 for releasing the master card 6. When lever 86 is returned by its spring 87 to its initial position, the spring 84 turns releasing member 80 to permit closing of holding means 73 by spring 89.

The printing drum 10 shown in FIG. 4, and the cylindrical carrier 72 shown in FIG. 7 are provided with a feeding device including a guide plate 90 for the master card which has a bracket 91 secured to a shaft 92. carrying a cam follower means 93, 94, 95 urged by spring 96 to a position in which a pair of cam follower rollers 94 engages the peripheral surface of carrier 72, and during rotation also the master card 6 so that the same is tightly held against the surface of carrier 72, permitting reliable sensing by the sensing brushes 76, 77 and 78.

As shown in FIG. 8 in which the carrier for the master card 6 is designated by reference numeral 21, as in FIG. 3, an additional master card 22 is secured to the periphery of carrier 21. As explained with reference to FIG. 7, three sensing brushes 76, 77, 78 are provided which are respectively mounted on sensing brush holders 28, 60 and 50 described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. Since the corresponding guide bodies 63 and 62 are fixed, sensing brushes 75 and 77 are not movable in axial direction of carrier 21, whereas sensing brushes 78, which are mounted on a movable guide body 48 as described particularly with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, are shiftable in axial direction of carrier 21 and in longitudinal column direction of the master card 6. The group of fixed sensing brushes 75 has twenty brushes for reading out punched holes in twenty lines of the additional master card 22 on which special information is recorded in the form of punched holes.

The fixed group of twenty brushes 77 senses the lines of the first field of master card portion 7 which, as explained with reference to FIG. 1b is associated with the head section of the printing form which is printed on all copy sheets. The group of twenty sensing brushes 78 can be axially shifted by the mechanism explained with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 to be placed for reading out any selected field of master card portion 7 associated with different text sections of the printing form, or any of the corresponding fields of master card portion 8 which are also associated with text sections or lines of the printing for-m.

Different information recorded by punched holes in the master card may be read out during each successive revolution of carrier 21 or 72 together with the same information represented by the first field of the master card portion 7, which represents the head section of the text of the printing form.

A control cam 128 is fixedly secured to shaft 33, described with reference to FIG. 7, and an angularly adjustable cam 129 is also mounted on shaft 33, but shown in FIG. 8 adjacent cam 128 for the sake of clarity. Cam 129 has adjusted angular positions 130 and 131. Shaft 33 carries a fixed bushing on which a flange 133 with control ca-m 122 secured thereon is angularly adjustably mounted. A spring 134 has ends 135 and 136 secured to flange 133 and bushing 132 and urging flange 133 with cam 129 to a position in which a recess is engaged by a pawl 137 which is mounted on a pivot 138 secured to bushing 132 for turning movement and is urged by spring 139 to a position engaging one of the recesses 140 in the inner rim of flange 133. Spring 139 is secured to a pin 141 secured to bushing 132. When an electromagnet 142 is energized, its armature moves in the direction of the arrow L, and a lever 143 is turned about pivot 144 so that a pawl 145, which is turnable about a pivot 147, turns flange 133 with cam 129 to the angular position 130 illustrated in broken lines, while pawl 137 engages the next notch 140 in the inner rim of flange 133 and locks cam 129 in the adjusted angular position 130. A spring 146 connects pawl with lever 143.

When switch 148 closes, another electromagnet 149 is energized and its armature is moved in the direction of the arrow N to engage a stud 150 on arresting pawl 137 so that the same releases the respective notch 140, permitting spring 134 to pull flange 133 with cam 129 to the initial position.

When the information punched into the master card' 6 is read out, the information is transmitted to the punching device 26 so that a copy sheet already imprinted by the head section and selected text sections of the printing form, is punched in accordance with the information read out from the master card which, as explained above, is the same information which was imprinted on the copy sheet.

Shaft 33 rotates so that cams 128 and 129 rotate in the direction of the arrow 0 so that the start switches 151 and 152 are closed and connect the AND gates 153, 154, to a voltage source. AND gates 153, 154 and 155 are respectively connected with the groups of sensing brushes 75, 77, and 78. Sensing brushes moving along lines of additional master cards 22 and master card 6 establish contact with the metallic body of carrier 21 when passing over punched holes. The metallic carrier 21 is connected to ground, as is the negative terminal of the voltage source.

Information recorded in the form of punched holes in additional master card 22 passes in the form of signals through the AND gate 153 to the control means of punching device 26. At the same time, brushes 77 read out the first field of master card portion 7, which is associated with the head section of the text of the printing form, and when brushes 77 establish contact with the carrier 21 through punched holes, impulses pass through the AND gate 154 to the control means of the punching device 26. Sensing brushes 77 are also connected to an AND gate 156, but the signals produced by the sensing brushes 77 cannot pass through AND gate 156 to third control means, not shown, of punching device 26, since a relay contact 159, which is connected with the AND gate 156 is still open due to the fact that relay 157 is not yet energized.

At the same time, the group of sensing brushes 78 senses the second field of master card portion 7 which is associated with the first line or text section of the printing form. Where brushes 78 sense perforations in the lines of the respective field, Signals pass through the AND gate 155 to the third control means of punching device 26 so that on a copy sheet which is already imprinted with the head section of the text of the printing form, and with the first text section or line of the same, is punched to represent the information of the head section and of the first text section in the form of punched holes.

It will be understood that the first, second and third control means, not shown, of punching device 26, which are respectively connected with AND gate 153, AND gate 154, and AND gates 156, 155 are always in the same position and punch the copy sheet or card in the same places, irrespective of whether the movable group of sensing brushes 78 senses the second, third, or any other field of the master card.

After information represented by the additional master card 22, and by the head field and the first line field of master card 6 has been punched into the copy sheet or card by the punching device, start switches 151 and 152 are again opened under the control of cams 128 and 129. If the brushes 77 and 78 pass over other punched holes in the master card during the continued rotation of carrier 21, the signals do not pass through AND gates 154, 155 and 156, since the connection with the positive terminal of the voltage source is interrupted.

Shortly before carrier 21 assumes its initial position, cam member 37 on cam wheel 34 operates the linkage 40, 42 to cause shifting of the movable guide body 48 by the action of spring 47 one step in the direction E, as described with reference to FIG. 6, so that the group of twenty brushes 78 is placed to sense lines 41 to 60 of the third field of master card portion 7 which is associated with the second text section or line of the printing form. When cams 129 and 128 again operate switches 152 and 151, other copy sheets which were imprinted with the head section of the printing form and with the second text section or line of the same by selective operation of the counterpressure roller cooperating with the duplicating drum 10, are punched in punching device 26 so that the punched holes represent the same information. If punching of the information of the head section is not desired, a manual switch 158 is opened to interrupt the connection established by start switch 151 between the positive terminal of the voltage source and the AND gate 154.

In this manner information represented by the head section and by a selected text section of the printing form is punched into different copy sheets. By shifting of the group of brushes 78 in axial direction of the carrier, successsive fields of master card portion 7 associated with lines 1 to 5 are read out.

Assuming that the first field of the second master card portion 8, as described with reference to FIG. lb, is to be read out, it will be understood that this field, which is associated with the sixth line of the printing form, must be read out by the axially immovable group of sensing bushes 77 which are used for reading out the first field of master car portion 7 associated with the head section of the printing form. During the punching of this information under the control of AND gate 154, a certain part of the copy sheet was punched in a position representing the head section. When the group of sensing brushes 77 is used for reading out the first field of master card portion 8, the punches controlled by AND gate 154 should not be operated, but the respective information must be punched into the copy sheet by the third control means of punching device 27 which is controlled by AND gate 155 during the above described punching operation. Therefore, AND gate 154 and AND gate 155 must be closed, and AND gate 156 opened so that the third control means of punching device 26, which punch in the region of the copy sheet associated with a selected line, are operated under the control of sensing brushes 77 sensing the lines of the first field of master card portion 8.

After the fifth line of the printing form has been printed on a copy sheet 27, and corresponding information was punched by the third control means into the copy sheet under the control of AND gate 156, the group of brushes 78 is shifted axially together with the movable guide body 48 to a position closing switch 66, as described with reference to FIG. 5. As shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 8, the closing of switch 66 energizes relay 157 so that contacts 159, 160, 161 and 162 close.

Contacts 159 is connected in series with start switch 152 and connects the positive terminal of the voltage source with the AND gate 156 which is connected with the group of sensing brushes 77. Contact 160' closes the holding circuit of relay 157 so that the same remains energized when guide body 48 moves away from limit switch 66 to carry the group of brushes 76 back to its initial position for sensing the second transversely aligned fields of master card portions 7 and 8. Contact 161 closes the circuit of the magnetic coupling 67 which rotates spindle 64 as described with reference to FIG. 6 to move guide body 48 with the group of brushes 78 in the direction of the arrow G back to the initial position.

Contact 162 closes the circuit of electromagnet 142 which operates through lever 143 and pawl 145, flange 133 and earn 129 so that cam 129 is angularly disposed to the position 130 in the direction of the arrow M.

When the operation is started, cam wheel 34 which carries cam member 37, engages the cam operated switch 163, shown in FIG. 7. The electromagnetic coupling 67 is energized and connects spindle 64 with the driven gears 69, 68 so that the movable guide body 48, rod 49, and brush holder 50 with brushes 78 are moved to the initial position shown in FIGS. 6 and 8.

Cam 128 closes start switch 151, whereas start switch 152 remains open since cam 129 was angularly displaced to the position 130. The variable information contained in the punched holes of the additional master card 22 is sensed by the group of brushes 76, and since start switch 151 connects AND gate 153 with the voltage source, the copy sheet is punched accordingly in the punching device 26.

At the same time, the information of the head section is read out by the group of brushes 77 and passes through AND gate 154 to the second control means of the punching device 26 so that the copy sheet is punched with the information contained in the head section of the printing form.

At this moment, cam 128 permits opening of start switch 151, While cam 129 has turned such an angle that its lug closes start switch 152 so that an impulse is given through the closed relay contact 159 to the AND gate 156. Since AND gate 154 disconnects brushes 77 from the punching device due to the opening of start switch 151, and AND gate 156 connects brushes 77 with the third control means of the punching device 26, the information read out by the group of brushes 77, is entered into the copy sheet in the form of punched holes. Since the group of brushes is no longer located in the first field of master card portion 7, but now senses the first field of master card portion 8, as shown in FIG. 1b,

information concerning the sixth line or text section of the printing form is now read out by the group of brushes 77 which read out information concerning the head section of the printing form during the preceding operation.

When body 48 with brush holder 50 and the group of brushes 78 arrives again in the initial position shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, limit switch is opened and interrupts the holding circuit of relay 157 so that contacts 159 to 162. open. During the following revolution of carrier 21, the second field of the master card portion 8, which is associated with the seventh line of the printing form, is read out by the brushes 78, while brushes 76 read out the additional master card 22, and brushes 77 read out the first field of master card portion 7 associated with the head section of the printing form, and supply the information through the AND gate 154 to the punching device 26. No signal passes through the AND gate 156 since contact 159 is opened.

While in the embodiment of FIGS. 8, the fields of master card 6 distributed over master card portions 7 and 8 were successively read out by one group of sensing brushes 78, the embodiment of FIG. 9 provides a fixed group of sensing brushes 77 for each pair of transversely aligned fields of the card portions 7 and 8 of the master card 6. The last group of brushes 77 reads out the last two fields of master card 6 which are associated with the fifth and eleventh lines, as shown in FIG. 1b. It is evident that in the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, the master card shown in FIG. 2 can be used which has a greater number of fields in accordance with a printing form having a greater number of lines or text sections. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, additional groups of brushes 77 must be added if a longer master card is used. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the rack bar described with reference to FIG. 6 must be longer.

The master card 6 has one to twenty lines or positions passing through two fields. Consequently a set 24 of brushes is provided in the embodiment of FIG. 9. The first group 77 is connected with AND gates 154 and 156 as described with reference to FIG. 8, and the other groups of brushes are respectively connected with AND gates 155, a, 155b, 1550 and 155d which are connected to the third control, means of punching device 26 in the same manner as AND gates 156 and 155 in the embodiment of FIG. 8. Control cams 128 and 129, electromagnets 142, 149 and the start switches 151 and 152 correspond to the construction of FIG. 8.

A stepping selector 113 controls the AND gates 156 to 155d to select the field which is to be read out.

Shaft 33, which carries cams 128 and 129, also carries a cam 109 whose projecting lobe operates a switch 112 after each revolution of carrier 21. A manually operated switch 167 is connected in parallel with switch 112 to permit manual operation of stepping selector 113.

When the machine is started, the copy sheet is imprinted between duplicating drum 10 and the counterpressure roller, while cams 128 and 129 close the start switches 151, 152 and connect the AND gates 153, 154 and 155 to the voltage source since start switch 152 is connected with a slide contact sliding on a contact ring whose arm 172 engages a contract Z1 connected with AND gate 155. Since there is no connection between start switch 152 and the AND gates 155a to 155d, no signals pass through AND gates 155a to 155d to the punching device 26.

Shortly before carrier 22 arrives in its initial position, cam 109 operates cam switch 112 to shortly closethe same, so that a selector magnet 168 is energized and attracts a pivoted lever 169 carrying a pawl 170 cooperating with a stepping wheel 171 which is secured to contact arm 172. Upon energization of selector magnet .168, pawl 170 turns the contact arm to a position in which the stationary contact Z2 is connected with start switch 152 after contact arm 172 has turned in the direction of the arrow P the required angular distance. A spring 173 holds pawl 170 in engagement with stepping wheel 171. Consequently, during the following revolution, the group of brushes 76, the first group of brushes 77, and the third group of brushes connected with AND gate 155a control the punching device since AND gate 155 does not permit passage of signals, and AND gate 155a is operative since it is connected to the voltage source through contact Z2, contact arm, 172, and the closed start switch 152.

When contact arm 172 moves from stationary contact Z5 to stationary contact Z6, electromagnet 142 is shortly energized through amplifier 175 and flip-flop 174 so that the shifting means 143, 145, 133 shift cam 129 to the position 130, as explained with reference to FIG. 8. During the next revolution of carrier 21, the field portion associated with the sixth line or text section of the printing form is read out by the first group of brushes 77.

It is evident that other mechanical, electrical, optical or magnetic sensing means can be used and that the electromechanical stepping selector can be replaced by an electronic device.

FIG. 10 illustrates the printing means by which imprints are made on a copy sheet 27. A conventional duplicating drum 10 cooperating with a counterpressure roller 120 in a printing plane 127, moistening means 122, transporting rollers 123 and 124, a paper holder 125 cooperating with a guide member 126, and a feeding table 121 for a copy sheet blank are provided in the usual manner. The printing form 2 is secured by holding means to the periphery of printing drum 10, and since it is assumed that the master card is carried by an independent cylindrical carrier, as described with reference to FIGS. 3, 7, 8 and 9, no master card is attached to the printing form 2 as was described with reference to FIG. 4. A start lever 98 is mounted on the frame of the machine and urged by a spring 102 against a stop 104. A pawl 100 is pivotally mounted on drum 10 and biased by a spring 108. A locking lever 97 is urged by a spring 101 to turn about a stationary pivot to abut a stop 103. In the initial position, pawl 100 engages start lever 98, and lever 97 engages a stop 99 on drum 10. A rachet wheel 106 continously rotates with shaft 32, and when starting lever 98 is turned by operation of a pull rod 105, pawl 100 couples drum 10 with ratchet wheel 106 so that the drum starts rotation in the direction of the arrow. After one revolution of drum 10, pa-wl 100 is stopped and turned to release ratchet wheel 106 so that drum 10- stops. Locking lever 97 prevents rotation of the drum in the opposite direction, and resiliently yields during passage of pin 99 in the direction of the arrow.

Shaft 32 is connected by gears 176, 177 and 178 with shaft 33 which carries a contact arm 179 whose end corresponds to the lobe of cam 109 described with reference to FIG. 9, and also shown in FIG. 11. In other words, the contact arm 179 is used for operating switch 112 by which the selector 113 is actuated. Shortly before drum 10 arrives in the normal initial position after one revolution, switch 112 is actuated by the cam portion of contact arm 179, and the read out operation explained with reference to FIG. 9 starts.

Contact arm 179 has contacts cooperating with stationary contacts arranged in circles and connected with electromagnetic means controlling the angular lever 180 on which counterpressure roller 120 is mounted so that lever 180 turns about shaft 181 to move the counterpressure roller 120 to a printing position whenever a desired text section or line of the printing form passes through the printing line so that, for example, successive copy sheets are each imprinted with the head section of the printing form and with one text section or line of the same. The imprinted copy sheet is supplied to the punching device 26, and punched in the same with the same information, as explained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 9 so that the first copy sheet has an imprint of the head section and of the first text section, and punched holes representing the head section and the same first text section, and if desired additional information from the additional master sheet 22, while the following copy sheets will have the second to eleventh lines or text sections imprinted, and be punched with holes representing the same information. The duplicator illustrated in FIG. is of a well known conventional construction in addition to which cam operated switch 112 is provided for synchronizing the selction of text sections of the printing form and corresponding fields of the master card.

FIG. 10 also shows a switch 197 operated by the cam portion of contact arm 179 to operate an electromagnet 198, see FIG. 12, which may be used for releasing the start lever 98, as will be described with reference to FIG. 12.

FIG. 11 illustrates a duplicator with a duplicating drum 10 on which a printing form '2 is mounted. Locking lever 97, and start lever 98 cooperates with the one revolution coupling 106, 100 as described with reference to FIG. 10. When start lever 98 is turned by link 105, pawl 100 couples the continuously rotating driven ratchet wheel 106 with the duplicating drum 10 so that the same rotates one revolution whereupon start lever 98 stops the duplicating drum 10 and releases pawl 100 from ratchet wheel 106. Cam 109 is connected with shaft 33 through gears 164, 165, 166 and operates switch 112 of the selector 113 as described with reference to FIG. 9.

Cam 109 also cooperates with the cam follower 110 which is mounted for turning movement about the shaft 111 and is articulated with a lever 114 which is part of the toggle lever system 11 6, 118, 119, 114. Levers 116 and 118 are pivotally mounted on a support 117 whose position can be adjusted by an eccentric member in a conventional manner. Cam follower 110 turns in the direction of the arrow I so that the toggle lever system is displaced, and counterpressure roller 120 is moved in the printing plane 127 into the proximity of the periphery of duplicating drum 10 so that a copy sheet 27 is pressed against the printing form after being moistened by moistening means 122 and transported by the transporting rollers 123, 124.

By using a fixed cam 109 for the head section of the printing form, and other angularly displaceable and adjustable cams 109 on shaft 133- for operating the counterpressure roller when a desired line of the printing form passes the printing plane 127, successive copy sheets are imprinted with the same head sections and different text sections or lines of the printing form. The construction of the duplicator shown in FIG. 11 is entirely conventional, but one cam 109 is used for operating switch 112 by which stepping selector is started to cause reading out of corresponding text sections by the sensing brushes, and finally punching of the copy sheet 27 with the same information which was previously imprinted.

In the embodiment of FIG. 12, the cylindrical carrier 21 carries the master card 6 on its periphery, and sensing brushes 199 are provided for sensing the fields and lines of the master card 6. Carrier 21 is mounted for free rotation on shaft 182 and a one revolution coupling 98, 100, 108, 106 operating as described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 is provided for stopping carrier 21 after each revolution, while the locking device 97, 101, 103 cooperates with pin 99 on carrier 21 to prevent turningof the carrier in a direction opposite to the direction R in which the ratchet wheel 106 rotates. Chain wheels 182, 184 and a chain 185 are provided for driving a gear sector 186 which is mounted on a shaft 222 in synchonism with carrier 21, chain wheel 183 being secured to carrier 21 so that gear segment 186 rotates and stops with carrier 21.

In a certian position of gear segment 186, the same meshes with a rack bar 200 to move the same in the direction of the arrow S against the action of a spring 215. In an end position of rack bar 200, latch 210 is turned by spring 219 about pivot 220 to snap behind the end of rack bar 200 to arrest the same until a pin 211 on the rotary gear segment 186 engages the release lever 2 12 which is.

pivoted on a pin 213 and causes through link 214 release of the rack bar 200 by arresting latch 210 permitting the rack bar to move to the right under the action of spring 215.

The other end of rack bar 200 has a hook-shaped projection engaging a projection on a punch selector member which has teeth 209 cooperating with an arresting pawl 207 which is urged by spring 217 to turn about pivot 208 to a position releasing the arresting teeth of the punch selector member 202, but is operated by an electromagnet 206 toengage a notch between two arresting teeth 209 when electromagnet 206 is energized. Electromagnet 206 is connected through an AND gate 204 and an amplifier 205 with the brushes 199 which correspond to the brushes 24 of FIG. 9. The other terminal of electromagnet 206 is connected with carrier 21 through shaft 182 so that electromagnet 206 is energized when brushes 199 sense a punched hole in the master card 6.

Punch selector member carries a plurality of coupling rods 195 which are shiftable in bores of punch selector member 202 when the same follows the movement of rack bar 200 in the diretcion of the arrow S under the action of a spring 201. A pair of link means 191, 192 connects the punch plate with a pair of eccentric members 193, 194 which during rotation reciprocate the punch plate. If a coupling rod is located between punch plate 190 and one of the punches 196, the respective punch is coupled to the punch plate 190 and pushed down into an opening in the supporting body 189 so that a copy sheet 27 located between punches 196 and support 189 is punched with holes. Transporting rollers 187, 188 transport the already imprinted copy sheet to a punching posi tion located under punches 196.

Carrier 21 starts its rotation with master card 6 when start switch 197, which may be operated by the contact arm 179 of the duplicator shown in FIG. 10, or by the cam 109 of the duplicator shown in FIG. 11, so that start magnet 198 is energized and operates start lever 98 to release carrier 21 to perform a revolution.

When master card 6 is turned into the region of the brushes 199, which correspond to the brushes discussed with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, gear segment 186 has been turned to an angular position in which it engages the teeth of rack bar 200 and moves the same in the direction of the arrow S, while spring 209 moves punch selector member 202 in the same direction to follow the rack bar movement.

When a brush 199 passes over a punched hole, for example hole 203 in master card 6, the circuit of electromagnet 206 is closed, as explained above, and arresting pawl 207 engages a notch of punch selector member 202 and stops the same while rack bar 200 continues its movement in the direction of the arrow. A coupling rod is located directly above one of the punches 196, corresponding to the position of the punched hole 203 in the sensed line of the master card, and since ten punches 196 are provided in the direction of the arrow S, and each punch 196 corresponds to one of the digits from zero to nine and is related to one of the ten columns of each field of the master card 6 the punch 196 is selected which corresponds to the digit represented by hole in the column of the digit and in the line sensed by the respective brush 199. Eccentric members 193, 194 rotate to push down punched plate 190 which actuates the coupling rod 195 related to the respective column of the master card so that corresponding punches 196 are pushed down to an operative position for punching corresponding holes in the respective digit column of the copy sheet 27.

The eccentric members 193, 194 are controlled by the duplicating drum 10 to be operated during the same revolution, or during one or two revolutions later, or at any selected time.

In the meantime, rack bar 200 is moved by gear sector 186 so far in the direction of the arrow S so that latch 210 snaps behind the end of rack bar 200 and holds the same. Carrier 21 and gear segment 186 rotate farther to the initial normal position without any influence on the arrested rack bar 200 since the rack bar is passed by a smooth peripheral portion of gear segment 186.

Since the punch selector member remains in the arrested position, any desired numbers of copy sheets 27 can be punched with the same holes while the punch selector member remains arrested by pawl 207. In this man ner, punched holes representing the head section of the printing form can be provided in a series of copy sheets.

During the following revolution of carrier 21 and gear segment 186, the punching device 26 is cleared since stud 211 engages releasing lever 212 and releases latch 210 permitting spring 215 to pull rack bar 200 back to the initial position of FIG. 12. Since brush 199 senses no punched hole in master card 6, electromagnet 206 has operated pawl 207 to release punch selector member 202 which is pulled by rack bar 200 back to its initial position. Spring 217 of pawl 207 is designed to pull pawl 207 against stop 218 only when punch selector member 202 is retracted in the direction opposite to the arrow S.

From the above description, it will become apparent that the printing means including duplicating drum is connected by control means including shaft 33, the cams .thereon, and the circuits of FIGS. 8 and 9 to the sensing means shown to be brushes in such a manner that only the group of sensing brushes correlated with a text section printed by the printing means is operative to sense the lines of the respective field of the master card 6. The punching device 26 constitutes a recording means, and instead of punching copy sheet 27, which preferably is a standard card, magnetic recordings, or recordings which can be optically read out may be made on the copy sheet.

While a group of brushes 78 may be used for sensing different fields of the master card, or several groups of brushes 77 may be selectively operated to sense selected fields of the master card, the sensed information is supplied to the same punch control means including punch selector member 202. and arresting means 206, 207 so that the copy sheet 207 is punched with the read out information at the same place, irrespective from which field of the master card the axially movable group of sensing brushes 78, or the selective operable group of sensing brushes 77, has read out the information.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of printing and recording arrangements differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a method and apparatus for printing on different copy sheets different information, and for recording on each copy sheet the same information which was printed thereon, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be'made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this in-.

vention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. Apparatus for printing and recording on the same copy sheet, comprising, in combination, printing means for printing text sections of a printing form on copy sheets; carrier means for supporting at least one master card having a plurality of fields respectively correlated with said text sections, each field having crossing lines and columns of areas with recordings whose positions in said lines represent different values and whose positions in said columns represent information related to said values; at least one group of sensing means for sensing at least one of said fields, said sensing means being disposed and operable for sensing in respectively correlated lines of the respective sensed field, recordings in the areas of the respective lines; control means connecting the printing means with the sensing means and controlling said sensing means so that only fields correlated with text sections printed by said printing means are sensed; and recording means controlled by the group of sensing means to make on a copy sheet imprinted with at least one text section by said printing means, recording representing the same information as the printed text section.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said printing means is a duplicating machine for selectively printing text sections of said printing form; and wherein said control means control said sensing means so that fields correlated with selected and printed text sections are sensed and recorded.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said carrier means includes a rotary carrier cylinder, and means for attaching said master card to the periphery of said carrier cylinder; wherein said dup icating machine includes a duplicating drum supporting said printing form; wherein said control means include means connecting said duplicating drum with said carrier cylinder for rotation in such a manner that said sensing means read out said field a predetermined number of revolutions of said duplicating drum after printing of the text section correlated with the respective sensed field; and transporting means for transporting the copy sheet from said duplicating machine to. said recording means so that the imprinted copy sheet receives the recordings.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a plurality of groups of sensing means respectively positioned for sensing said fields of said master card; and comprising means for successively activating said groups of sensing means so that said fields are successively sensed.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and including means for placing said group of sensing means suc cessively on said fields so that said fields are successively sensed.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said printing means includes a printing drum, means for holding said printing form on said printing drum, and means for successively printing text sections of said printing form; wherein said carrier means includes a carrier cylinder, and means for holding the master card on said carrier cylinder; wherein said control means include transmission means connecting said printing drum with said carrier cylinder, a rotary stepping selector, means for actuating said selector after each revolution of said printing drum, said selector including a plurality of contacts successively closed after each step of said stepping selector; comprising a plurality of groups of sensing means for sensing said plurality of fields; and circuit means inc uding AND gates connecting said groups of sensing means and said selector contacts with said recording means, and a start switch operated after each revolution of said printing drum and connected in series with said selector contacts of said stepping selector and said AND gates.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said printing means includes a rotary printing drum, means supporting said printing form on said printing drum, and operating means for succesively printing text sections of the printing form; shifting means for shifting said group of sensing means to successive positions for sensing said fields; and means connecting said operating means with said shifting means so that during successive revolutions of said printing roller, successive text sections are printed, 

